From giving presents to people you barely know to donating your eyes for scientific research, Eve Dugdale asks what people would do if they only had 24 hours left on the planet

It’s one of those late-night dinner party questions - what would you do if you only had one day left on earth?

When you were younger, you probably said you’d pull a raspberry in the face of a teacher or blow all your mum and dad’s money on chocolate bars and spend all day eating them with your friends until you were sick.

But if someone asked you right now what things would you want to do if you knew your time left on the planet was limited, would you know what your answer would be?

Suzie Grogan did.

According to British newspaper The Daily Mail, the mum of two spent the equivalent of just over dhs300,000 on a huge spending spree because she thought she was going to die.

It was while she was having treatment for breast cancer that Suzie started to think about how much of her life she actually had left.

In just 12 months she spent over dhs65,600 on holidays including a dhs9,000 trip to renew her wedding vows, paid almost dhs100,000 for home improvements and bought two new cars.

But then Suzie was given the best gift of all - the all clear.

Although it cost her a fortune, she says she wanted to spend the cash to treat her family and enjoy things they might not be able to do again.

So would exotic holidays or the romantic gesture of saying your wedding vows again be on your list if you thought this week might be your last?

Strangely, construction manager Tahir Ashraf’s final day would be spent alone.

“I’d buy a super car and drive around all day at full speed and not be bothered if I crashed,” he says.

“Obviously I’d go somewhere where there were no other drivers on the road, somewhere in the desert. I have thought about this many times - I’ve said the same answer since I was 15 years old.”

Choosing a more charitable option, optometrist Soroya Janmohamed, who makes annual trips to poverty-stricken countries to offer free eye tests and hand out spectacles donated by Dubai residents, says she’d spend her last day helping others.

“I’d consider what I could do to help those in need before I die and I’d try and arrange something similar to a Live 8 concert but with upcoming artists here in Dubai. The concert would be free but the artists would pay to perform and that money would go to charity,” she explains.

“Another thing I would do is donate my eyes for research.”

Equally as giving, Doctor Manoj Kumar from the Dubai Herbal and Treatment Centre says he’d leave something to inform and help future generations.

“I’d spend time with my family and listen to music but most importantly I’d like to write a piece on the internet to educate people about the importance of being healthy,” he says.

“Even if only one person reads it in 30 years and it helps them it would be worthwhile.”

If you knew you were about to pass away, would you be concerned that your children or relatives would never know or understand you properly?

Many would consider writing a letter or leaving some other memoir for their future generations.

“If I knew I didn’t have long left, I would like to know I was leaving a legacy for the future for family members,” says Albert Gayo, head booker at Diva Modelling Agency. “I would shoot a short film all about my life from the time I was born to present day - all the funny, sad and embarrassing moments I’ve experienced - like a biography on film.

“Then when I go, my family would have something to look back at. I would talk about the struggles in my life, all the lovely places I’ve been to, my friends and family, my dog who I’ve had for 12 years and all the wonderful moments I could think of.

“I would love to write a book but if I only had a few days I don’t think I’d be able to. This way I could get all my videos and edit them all together into one film.”

Legal Secretary Amelia Simpson would have a far more relaxed final day.

She says she’d get all of her friends together for a brunch which they would be obliged to attend because it’s her last day, and eat as much chocolate and cheese as she liked without worrying about getting fat.

She adds: “I’d also buy really expensive presents for everyone who’s helped me in my life and surprise them.

Even if it’s just the girl in the coffee shop who gives me extra milk in the mornings or the shy man at the petrol station, it would be so nice to say thank you.” And finally, Dale Reidy, a sales manager for a tools company says he’d make one last gesture to please his mother.

“I would get married so I’d get one day of peace without my mum hounding me about being single and then I’d hire a jet to stay ahead of the international time zone to prolong the day!”